To launch a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, a driver must modulate the engagement of the clutch. The design of the clutch, specifically, the design of the clutch plate, affects the ease of this modulation for the driver. If the clutch plate is designed to apply the load too quickly, it becomes more difficult for the vehicle driver to modulate the clutch and smoothly launch the vehicle.
The parameters that determine the quality of the clutch engagement vary from vehicle to vehicle due to differences in vehicle system combinations. During the development of a new vehicle, poor quality clutch performance and clutch engagement resulting from these differences may not be discovered until very late in the development process. Although it is possible to mitigate these problems by redesigning components of the clutch system, this approach incurs substantial costs, in both time and material, as new components must be designed and tested, and existing components cannot be used. As such, this approach should be avoided when possible.
FIG. 11 is a front view of a portion of prior art clutch plate 500 with conventional cushion segments.
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view generally along section line 12-12. The following should be viewed in light of FIGS. 11 and 12. Clutch plate 500 includes: axis of rotation 501; facing annular backing plate 502 with side 503; facing annular backing plate 504, with side 505, which is separated from facing annular backing plate 502 by gap 506; and cushion segments 507. Cushion segments 507 are fixedly connected to facing annular backing plates 502 and 504 using fasteners 509 and 510. Cushion segments 507 include smooth radial sides 511 in contact with one of sides 503 or 505.
FIG. 13 is a front view of a portion of prior art clutch plate 600 with conventional double cushion segments with wave supports.
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view generally along section line 14-14. The following should be viewed in light of FIGS. 13 and 14. Clutch plate 600 includes: axis of rotation 601; facing annular backing plate 602 with side 603; facing annular backing plate 604, with side 605, which is separated from facing annular backing plate 602 by gap 606; and cushion segments 607. Cushion segments 607 are fixedly connected to facing annular backing plates 602 and 604 using fasteners 610 and 609, respectively. Cushion segments 607 include smooth radial sides 611. For respective pairs of axially aligned segments 607, respective edges 611 are in contact.
FIG. 15 is a front view of a portion of prior art clutch plate 700 with conventional double cushion segments used with cera-metallic pads as friction material.
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view generally along section line 16-16. The following should be viewed in light of FIGS. 15 and 16. Clutch plate 700 includes: axis of rotation 701; cera-metallic pad annular backing plate 702 with side 703; cera-metallic pad annular backing plate 704, with side 705, which is separated from cera-metallic pad annular backing plate 702 by gap 706; and cushion segments 707. Cushion segments 707 are fixedly connected to cera-metallic pad annular backing plates 702 and 704 using fasteners 710 and 709, respectively. Cushion segments 707 include radially outermost edge 711 with a single slot 712. For respective pairs of axially aligned segments 707, respective edges 711 are in contact.